1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to urinals. Particularly, the present invention relates to urinal blocks and holders. More particularly, the present invention relates to water-conserving urinals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The typical men's restroom-provided urinal is a vertically disposed, porcelain-surfaced receptacle having a collection region at the bottom of the receptacle with a drain. Vertical, smooth-sided walls extend above the collection region to provide a surface to receive urination streams and over which water used to flush the urinal is directed. Urinal devices typically are wall mounted or floor mounted, though wall mounted versions are currently more commonplace.
In the customary urinal, a small amount of water remains in the collection area between flushes to dilute the urine being collected. This water remains at ambient temperatures much like water in a commonly used toilet bowl between flushes. Some portion of the ambient water pool is accessible in the bottom of the urinal. The drain opening may be covered by a screen or a grid or it may include openings in the sidewalls of the urinal or in a projecting hub disposed near the bottom of the collection region. These standard urinals must be flushed with water following each use in order to maintain a reasonably sanitary condition.
It is well known in the janitorial field that there are common problems encountered when maintaining restroom urinals. It is desirable for sanitary and ambiance purposes to provide a means for deodorizing and sanitizing the urinals. One of the earliest efforts at providing health protection for urinals was to use a solid block of paradichlorobenzene (PDB). These blocks, also known as para blocks, were not positioned in the urinal in any particular way. Rather, they were merely tossed into the urinal. Since PDB sublimed at room temperature, it had a characteristic odor in use. PDB, however, is substantially insoluble in water. As a result, the PDB evaporated continuously, rather than being dispensed at the time of flushing. Later, perfumes and germicides were added to PDB blocks. This improved the ability of the para blocks to provide some cleaning and odor-covering properties. However, the blocks still sublimed at room temperature and were insoluble in water. The problem of unnecessary use at some times, followed by no use at others, was not solved.
To solve this problem, non-PDB or non-para blocks were devised. These blocks did not use PDB but incorporated various ingredients in a water-soluble combination. These blocks included surfactant cake compositions, compositions of polyethylene oxide resins and water-soluble inert salts such as alkali metal chlorides and sulfates used to act as a filler to allow the compositions to be formed into cakes/blocks of desirable size. The predominant ingredients of these non-para block/cake compositions are usually the surfactant, perfume and the filler salt. Anionic, nonionic, ampholytic, zwitterionic, or cationic surfactants are used with the anionics being the most preferred.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,571 (1981, Choy) discloses a solid cake composition that includes from about 20% to 50% of a naphthalene sulfonate surfactant and from about 30% to 80% of a water-soluble salt. The ratio of the surfactant to the salt is in the range of about 1:0.3 to 1:4.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,434 (1982, Choy et al.) discloses a solid cake composition that includes polyethylene oxide, surfactant and water-soluble salt. The composition has controlled solubility characteristics to reduce the tendency of the resin to form a gel when the cake is contacted with water. These cakes are useful in dispensers that are employed in the flush tank of a toilet to automatically dispense chemicals to the flush water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,363 (1984, Wong et al.) discloses a solid cake composition that includes 1% to 15% free fatty alcohol and 20% to 90% buffered alkali earth metal alkyl sulfate surfactant. Perfume, dye or salt, or any combination can be added to the cake composition.
There has also been devised various holders for retaining the para and non-para blocks within the urinals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,415 (1996, Van Vlahakis et al.) discloses a urinal block dispenser assembly and composition. The assembly and block includes a fluid-soluble chemical composition and an improved dispenser to be used with the urinal block. The device includes the use of an acid stable protease enzyme. The urinal block is retained in and dispensable from a disposable dispenser assembly for use in urinals and toilets. The urinal block is protected from direct action of urine by a retention cup that retains the chemical composition block.
Water conservation is gaining increased importance in our society. Many areas in the country are suffering the effects of long term drought. In these areas, water conservation is a matter of necessity. Other areas seek to conserve as a way to reduce the costs and time needed to treat water and make it potable. In either event, all aspects of our daily lives are being examined to determine if water is being wasted. The bathroom is one area where water is often needlessly used.
Congress highlighted the importance of water conservation by enacting the Federal Energy Conservation Act, which regulates the amount of water toilets can use. Specifically, gravity tank-type toilets, flushometer tank toilets and electromechanical hydraulic toilets are now limited to 1.6 gallons per flush.
To further conserve water use, waterless urinals have been devised. These waterless urinals are not flushed with water each time a person uses the urinal and, in fact, they are not equipped for flushing as they are not connected to a water supply. As the waterless urinal is repeatedly used, urine is collected in a compartment of the urinal. An oily sealing liquid that is immiscible with the urine and is lighter than the urine covers the collected urine. This oily sealing liquid floats on the surface of the urine, serving as a barrier that prevents odors from the urinal from escaping to the environment. Typically, such waterless urinals include a removable cartridge having a top with an opening in communication with the compartment holding an initial water charge that mixes with urine flowing into the compartment through the opening. A stand pipe type drain is in communication with the compartment that allows the compartment to be drained continually to a sewer or other waste disposal system as the compartment is filled with urine.
A disadvantage of these waterless urinals is that the urinals are specially designed to accept these removable cartridges. For an institution to convert from water-based urinals to waterless urinals requires the complete replacement of the existing water-based urinals. This is an expensive and time-consuming process.
Therefore, what is needed is a device or system that can conserve water in significant amounts and reduce or eliminate the use of water in standard water-based urinals without requiring the physical and costly replacement of the water-based urinals with waterless urinals.